Sean Payton apologized yesterday for the bounty system under which Saints players were offered payouts for big hits on opponents, saying he takes “full responsibility” for the program that operated for three years under his watch.

“I share and fully support the league’s concerns and goals on player safety,” the New Orleans coach said in a written statement released by the team. “It is, and should be paramount.

“Respecting our great game and the NFL shield is extremely important to me,” Payton added, referring to the league’s famous logo.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday suspended Payton for the 2012 season, effective April 1, one of several unprecedented penalties he issued against the Saints.

Former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who left the Saints after last season to join the Rams, ran the bounty program and has been suspended indefinitely.

While the NFL has said the bounty program started in 2009, Williams’ first season in New Orleans, was apparently offering bounties as far back as 2006 when he was the Redskins’ defensive coordinator.

According to a report that quoted two players who were with the Redskins at the time, Williams once threw $15,000 on a meeting room table as incentive for his players to knock then Vikings quarterback Brad Johnson out of a game.

“Gregg came in and dropped $15,000 on the [table] and said, ‘Brad Johnson doesn’t finish this game.’ ” one of the players told David Elfin of the website CBS DC. “This is Wednesday and the money will go up later in the week. It could double or triple by the end of the week.

“A couple of guys kind of got excited. [Defensive line coach] Greg Blache said, ‘If you get fined, it will be taken care of.’ ”

The report said Seattle running back Shaun Alexander also was targeted by Williams.